


countdown

by mountaindews



Category: Ensemble Stars! (Video Game)
Genre: M/M, Soulmates AU, general fic that turns angst at the end, sorry - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-10
Updated: 2017-02-10
Packaged: 2018-09-23 09:29:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 446
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9649745
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mountaindews/pseuds/mountaindews
Summary: Mao's clock has always been slow.





	

**** Mao’s clock has always been slow.   
Ritsu has seen it moving slowly through the years, ticking years away into months, months into weeks. He has a lot of memories of it – of Mao biting his lips as he stared the numbers on the inside of his wrist, pouting in a reddened frown at their slow flow, of him scanning crowds with vacant eyes, looking for someone to synchronize his clock with.   
It’s the greatest race of humankind. In the idol industry, it’s business, a selling point, a charm to add up to others. Hiding the countdown is a necessity – adding a fake one, if needed, is marketing.  _ Soulmates,  _ Secchan always says,  _ are a fucking joke.  _ But Ritsu guesses it’s easy to talk big when your biggest problem is a soulmate not accepting your bond.   
Mao smiles shyly as pulls his sleeve aside – holding his wrist up in the orange light of the sunset that bathes the vacant classroom he’s found Ritsu sleeping in – his voice trembles slightly as he speaks.   
« Look, Ritchan. »   
Heavy eyelids flutter before tired eyes as he looks up, his lips bend gently in a smile.   
« That’s wonderful, Maa-kun. »   
Two big zeros have ticked away the weeks and the days.  _ Twenty-three hours left. _   
« Do you really think so? » Mao turns his hand, staring down at his wrist « I’m kind of anxious. And scared. But happy. Mostly nervous. »   
« She’s going to like you » Ritsu yawns, head falling back on his arms « or he. They, whatever. Whoever they’re going to be, they’re going to love you. »   
Mao doesn’t answer for a bit, too busy playing with the elastic band around his wrist. Ritsu sighs deeply, moving slowly into a more comfortable position on the chair.   
« It’s happening, at last » the redhead speaks up, in a breath « the final hours of my countdown. »   
Ritsu grins, not looking up.   
« You won’t forget me when you’ll have your soulmate by your side, won’t you~? »   
« E-eh? » Mao’s ears, at least their tips from what he can see from this angle, flare up in a bright, furious pink, « I could never forget you, Ritchan. You’ve put me through so much trouble, I could never do it, even if I tried to. And you’re my friend » he drums his fingers close to Ritsu’s ear, forcing him to turn his head in his direction « that’s the most important thing. »   
« Silly Maa-kun… ~ »   
« Silly?! What’s with being silly now? Hey, answer me! »   
Mao’s clock has always been slow, but Ritsu’s seen it tick through ten years until now – just a couple of hours before the dead end. It’s kind of nostalgic, he has to admit.   
His clock hasn’t moved an inch since they’ve met.

**Author's Note:**

> want somewhere to yell at me for this? it's is here!! @natsumaos  
> or in the comments


End file.
